After a one-year-long preparation, the work to construct a Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) station in Linzhi (Nyingchi) Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region to monitor the evaporating process and alpine landscape on the "Roof of the World" is to be complete by July 20.

With an objective of monitoring the transmission of water and heat properties in alpine regions and its influence on landscape, the station is to provide complete basic data about mountain vertical belts under global change and related environmental effect. Its work would also facilitate local ecological and economical development, as well as the environmental and social construction.

The station has now acquired a 30-acre field for scientific research. Once completed, it will consist of three sections involving observation field, living area and nearby observation spots.

In the observation field, regular ground meteorological observation equipment will be set up to collect precipitation. While in the nearby observation spots, sustained monitoring of forest line and tree growth will be conducted on east and west slopes of Mt. Sejila. Moreover, glacial mobility variation will be regularly monitored in Bomi. Meanwhile, Yigong Lake will also be subject to persistent monitoring for its stability. Two hundred-square- meter open field will be used as premises to house guests, on-site staff.

It is estimated that the station, if function fully, can accommodate 30 experts in the fields of atmospheric, alpine landscape and glacier monitoring.

(CAS.cn June 17, 2006)